Jack Johnson Park at Old Central

2601 Avenue M
Galveston, Texas

John Arthur “Jack” Johnson Nicknamed: “The Galveston Giant” World Heavyweight Boxing Champion 1908 to 1915 Park Dedicated November 13, 2012

John Arthur “Jack” Johnson was born on Galveston Island on March 31, 1878, then the largest city in the Lone Star State.  In 1903 he won the Negro Heavyweight Championship. In 1908 he beat Tommy Burns to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world which he held for the next seven years. The Old Central Cultural Center Board with the help of Ennis Williams, Board President and Project Coordinator Douglas Matthews, Barbara Sanderson-City Parks Director, Sterling Patrick-City Grants Director, Council Members Dr. Linda Colbert and Tarris Woods, $150,000 was secured to build the Jack Johnson Community Park next to Old Central Center. The concept or schematic drawing of park was done by committee member James Josey, founder of the Galveston African American Museum.  The park architect was Brax Easterwood of Galveston.

Jack Johnson was the second child and first son of Henry and Tina Johnson which had six children. By the early 1880s, the Johnson family was living on 808 Broadway, in a one-story wooden house with a basement and enclosed porch that Henry Johnson had built himself. Always being bullied after school, he took to the sport only after his mother threatened to thrash him as well, if he did not start to defend himself. Johnson subsequently discovered that he possessed the traits of a good fighter and by the turn of the century he was earning a living by sparring in local clubs. He had whipped everyone worth fighting in Galveston, and decided to try Chicago, the home of some of the best boxers in the business. He established himself as a top fighter by beating Denver Ed Martin for the Negro Heavyweight Championship in 1903. Racial discrimination in the professional ranks prevented Johnson from gaining a shot at the world title, however, until he was tabbed in 1908 as the only deserving contender. Making the most of a golden opportunity, he easily knocked out Tommy Burns to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

James J. Jeffries came out of retirement to fight Jack Johnson; and the fight took place on July 4, 1910 in front of 20,000 people, at a ring built just for the occasion in downtown Reno, Nevada. Johnson proved stronger than Jeffries. In the 15th round, after Jeffries had been knocked down twice for the first time in his career, his people called it quits to prevent Johnson from knocking him out. The "Fight of the Century" earned Johnson $65,000 and silenced the critics, who had belittled Johnson's previous victory over Tommy Burns as "empty," claiming that Burns was a false champion since Jeffries had retired undefeated.

Outside the ring, Johnson savored every minute of his glory days, which frustrated white American to no end. At a time when blacks were treated as second-class citizens, Jack Johnson lived as he pleased and did it openly, with proud defiance.

JACK JOHNSON CHRONOLOGY